Take advantage of summer's bounty while it lasts.
And just like that, it's already July. Summer is in full swing, as are your cookouts, picnics, beach barbecues, and more. Beat the heat and take advantage of the season's best flavors with these peak summertime recipes.
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1. Strawberries and Cream Buttermilk Waffles
Damn Delicious / Via damndelicious.net
Fresh strawberry season is the perfect excuse to treat yourself to this heavenly breakfast. Just don't skimp on the homemade whipped cream.
2. Smoked Salmon Breakfast Flatbread
Skinny Taste / Via skinnytaste.com
It's like a bagel and lox combined with pizza, and you can enjoy it in breakfast form.
Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com
Making homemade crepes may sound like a big to-do, but this version comes together right in the oven. Garnish with your favorite fresh herbs and enjoy.
A Beautiful Plate / Via abeautifulplate.com
Add this sweet-and-tangy plum compote to any of your favorite recipes from overnight oats or pancakes to yogurt with granola.
Recipe: Roasted Plum Compote
Eazy Peazy Meals / Via eazypeazymealz.com
Grab your favorite in-season fruits and turn them into a scrumptious breakfast, baked to perfection with eggs, milk, oats, and quinoa.
Recipe: Summer Fruit Breakfast Bake
6. Mango Smoothie Bowl
Downshiftology / Via downshiftology.com
Transport yourself to a tropical island with the help of these fruity mango smoothie bowls. Load 'em up with any of your favorite toppings like blueberries and coconut flakes.
Recipe:Mango Smoothie Bowl
Coley Cooks / Via coleycooks.com
This vegetarian meal features halloumi, a Mediterranean cheese beloved for its high melting point. It gets nice and golden brown on the grill, making it a hearty and delicious meat substitute in salads and skewers.
Recipe: Grilled Halloumi and Peaches with Arugula and Jalapeños
The View From Great Island / Via theviewfromgreatisland.com
You can make this savory tart with pretty much any in-season veggies, but it's hard to resist this blend of summer squash and goat cheese. If you want to save some time, grab your favorite store-bought pie crust.
Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com
Looking for a pasta salad that boasts all the best flavors of the season? The search is over. Charred corn, zucchini, avocado, vine-ripe tomatoes, basil, and cilantro all come together in this flavor bomb of a side dish.
10. Beet and Burrata Salad with Fried Bread
Pinch of Yum / Via pinchofyum.com
If you think salad can't be indulgent, this one will prove you wrong. Between the sweet beets, peppery arugula, and creamy burrata, this dish has it all. And let's not forget about the fried bread to sop it all up.
11. Elote Style Quinoa Salad
Pinch of Yum / Via pinchofyum.com
Ideal for yourcookouts,barbecues, and everything in between, this Mexican-inspired, grain-packed salad will be a crowd favorite.
Recipe:Elote Style Quinoa Salad
Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com
Leave the chicken out all together to make this dish vegetarian-friendly, or you can swap in your favorite protein like salmon, flank steak, shrimp, or chickpeas.
Coley Cooks / Via coleycooks.com
No breading? No problem. This lightened-up eggplant parm happens to be gluten-free, and it only calls for five ingredients, but it still tastes totally delicious.
Recipe: Unbreaded Eggplant Parmesan
How Sweet Eats / Via howsweeteats.com
These no-fuss sandwiches are impressive enough to make for guests and simple enough to whip up in a hurry.
15. Grilled Fish Tacos with Slaw
Feasting At Home / Via feastingathome.com
If the thought of cooking seafood is intimidating, start with these grilled fish tacos. Rubbed in a blend of spices and tossed on the grill, they're so easy and so flavorful.
Recipe:Grilled Fish Tacos with Slaw
Feasting at Home / Via feastingathome.com
It's only July, but chances are you're already bored with basic hamburgers. Switch things up a bit with these mushroom burgers. Topped with cucumber salad, carrot slaw, and Asian-inspired avocado spread, they're bound to shake up your barbecue routine.
17. Halloumi & Melon Skewers with Honey-Lime Glaze
The Kitchn / Via thekitchn.com
Name a more perfect summer side dish. I'll wait...
Dishing Out Health / Via dishingouthealth.com
Upgrade your summer skewer repertoire with this Greek-inspired shrimp recipe, which is complete with zucchini, red onion, and a creamy lemon dill dressing. Serve it over orzo, rice, or with pita bread for a filling meal.
Recipe: Greek-Marinated Shrimp Skewers With Lemon Dill Sauce
19. Watermelon Poke Bowls
Well and Full / Via wellandfull.com
Marinated watermelon takes the place of ahi tuna in these creative poke bowls. The best part is loading them up with all your favorite toppings from fried onions and scallion to avocado and sesame seeds.
Recipe:Watermelon Poke Bowls
20. BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pineapple Mango Slaw
Tastes Better From Scratch / Via tastesbetterfromscratch.com
If you have a slow cooker or Instant pot, put it to use this summer and make this savory pulled pork topped with sweet fruit slaw, all packed into toasted buns.
21. BLT Potato Salad
Paleo Running Mama / Via paleorunningmomma.com
Potato salad doesn't get much more exciting than this, thanks to the magical trio of bacon, lettuce, and tomato.
Recipe:BLT Potato Salad
22. Cucumber Melon Salad with Feta and Mint
Coley Cooks / Via coleycooks.com
Turn your typical fruit salad into a savory sensation with the help of some cheese (you can think beyond feta!), and plenty of fresh herbs.
23. Grilled Caprese Pizza
Recipe Runner / Via reciperunner.com
If you've never made pizza on the grill before, this could be a game-changer. Just make sure your grates are nice and clean before cooking to prevent the dough from sticking.
Recipe:Grilled Caprese Pizza
24. Stone Fruit and Blackberry Galette
Table for Two Blog / Via tablefortwoblog.com
Run to your local farmer's market, stock up on the best berries and stone fruit you can find, and turn it all into one irresistiblegalette.
25. Mixed Berry Trifle
Dinner Then Dessert / Via dinnerthendessert.com
Make this festive trifle — a blend of pound cake, pudding, and mixed berries— for the Fourth of July and all summer long.
Recipe:Mixed Berry Trifle
26. Easy No-Bake Key Lime Pie
A Beautiful Mess / Via abeautifulmess.com
Let me guess: You'll take any excuse to avoid using the oven these days. This no-bake key lime pie is as easy as mixing a few ingredients together, tossing them into a Graham cracker crust, and letting it all sit in the fridge.
Recipe:Easy No-Bake Key Lime Pie
27. Berry Cobbler
Sally's Baking Addiction / Via sallysbakingaddiction.com
Sure, fresh berries are delicious on their own...but they're even better when cooked with sugar and citrus and baked below a buttery biscuit topping.
Recipe: Berry Cobbler
28. No-Bake Strawberry Shortcake Icebox Cake
Iowa Girl Eats / Via iowagirleats.com
It's hard to believe this stunning dessert calls for just five ingredients. All you need is heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, store-bought sugar cookies, and strawberries.
Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com
This is really the only thing you'll want to be sipping on a hot summer day.
Recipe: Frozen Peach Rosé Slushy
30. Mango Sunrise Piña Colada
The Sweetest Occasion / Via thesweetestoccasion.com
Mmmm, tastes like vacation.
Recipe: Mango Sunrise Piña Colada
31. Blackberry Pineapple Rum co*cktail
The Little Epicurean / Via thelittleepicurean.com
If you don't feel like making blackberry syrup from scratch, here's a trick: Just muddle some berries at the bottom of your glass. If you still want some more sweetness, just double up on the pineapple juice.
